World Blood Donor Day

World Blood Donor Day was established in 2004 by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This day helps raise awareness about the need for blood donations all over the globe and to acknowledge and appreciate blood donors for their gifts. This day is on the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, an Austrian physician, and biologist who discovered and classified the ABO blood groups at the turn of the 20th century.

The event serves to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. The theme for this year’s World Blood Donor day is Safe Blood for All.